Nasal inhaler



Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

-his invention relates to nasal inhalators, inhale filters for air and smoke und inhale medicators consisting of thin-walled, semi-elastic, preferably transparenh imperforate, .tubula.r shells, adapted for Insertion into facial openings auch as mouth or nose, and prei'erably provided with an absorbent filler adapi;ed to filter airor smoke und preferably to carry als the same time medientiohs through the inhaled air.

'Ihis application represents a. continuation in part of my application Serial N0. 9,395, flled March 5, 1935, on Nase] inhalers, und relates to improvements in shape andto enlarged scope o1 use cf my inhaler. A process of manufacture of such inhaiers or the like is the subject cf a separate applicaticn of mine, Serie! N0. 56,905 flled December 31, 1935 and entitled method for Continuous thermoplastic forming.

I have found that inhalers according to my invention and consisting of a tubular shell formed of smooth, non-absorbent, preferably transparent, semifiexible material and containing a filler ot absorbent material could be made in such shape, which will make them still less visible, when applied, prevent, securely, direct contact between mucous membrane anti medications and hold them firmly in their position in the nostril, so es to even permit application over night and during sleep.

Furthermore, I have found that hasal ir1halers according i o my invention could be adapted with only slighi: changes for use as oral inhale filters to be used preferably to filter anti optionally medicate tobacco smoke inhaled from ciga.rettes a.nd cigars.

Nasal inhalators and inhale'filters according to my invention prbved, furtherxnore, a simple means to apply practically any type of volatile medicament with the inhaled air or smoke, such as etherlc oils, camphor menthol, amyl nitrite, bromoform and bromine, esters, and anesthetics for inducing stimulation er sedation, or other medicinal eflfect. The volatile drugs may be coutained in the absorbent fl1ler applied theve during manufacture or inay be supplied separately and applied before use. Inhaiators and inhale filters used for applicationo volatiledrugs are termed inhale medicators. Heretofore nasal inhalators, inhale fllters for airand smoke, a.nd inhale medicatorshave been devised, consisting of constructions using metal,

glass, horn, haid rubber or wood, noticeable and offensive on the 1'ace, apt to cause damage throgh the inherent stifl'ness cf the material, o1

' expensive structure ne'cessitating repeated use which is obiectionable even alter elenning of such devices with difflculty. and cf such weight that they could be held in place only with considerable pressure and discomfort.

Inhale fllters for tobacco smoke, designed to keep out part o! the nicotin and chiefly the harmful and unwanted constituents cf the smoke have been devised in the shape 01 or as parts o f eigarette or cigar tips or pipes, expensive in use, difilcult. to cleen, making special and clumsy appliances and procedures necessaryj They ha.ve also been devised as part cf the cigarettes or cigar s themselves, conflning the use tc certain brands, making medication difllcult, and increas ing the cost greatly.

An object cf my invention iS to provide nasal inhalers, inhale fllters and inhale medicators made of unofiensive and even transparent material; semiflexible and elastic; made so cheap and simple that each is to be used only once; of such iow weight and such shape that; it can be held without pressure or discomfort, and of such ease ot application as to make their use practical.

With the foregoing objects outlined and with other obiects in view whlch will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described in detail illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more partlcularly pointed out in the appended claims.

of the tubular shell of my improved article.

Flg. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same with a. tubular absorbnt filler secured therein. Flg. 3 ls 'a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a modification.

' form of theimperforate tubular shell of the device, representing essentially a cup, H], with centrzil ptari'oration l! having bent-in edges, a cavity I2, and an optional outwa.rdly extending flange I3.

Fi'g. 2 represents a similar tubular shell, HI, fllled with an absorbent filler I5, held by a strip 01 eine I 6 and provided with a central air passage Fig. 1 is a, vertical sectional view of one form Il-.-'- The bent-ixi edgeS of theherforatloii I8 prevent contact between the medlcated filler and themucous membrane when in use. A deviceflnlshed Such ix'1haler, hoWever, substantially of the shape according tdthis flgure representsthe baslc torm of a nasal lnhaler, according to my inventlon.

- of a round cone wlth central air passage and a round flange, proved dlfllcult to hold in the nostril especially during sleep.

It is an-esse'ntial part 01 my lnventlon to proview, representing the nasal septum, 26 the prominent fold near the free end of the septum and 21 the lateral wall of the nose. It is apparent that the device is firmly anchored behlnd the.

prominent fold 26 whlle the air passage 23 is in line with the normal fiow of inhaled alr. Inhalers of this shape will hold well overnlght during sleep, and be rather invislble when used in daytirne. Fig;5 corresponds to Fig. 4, but represents a frontal view of the inhaler placed into a nostril for use, anchored between the fold 26 and lateral nasal wall 2'l. The figure also shows the preferred elliptic shape of the flange 2l whlle the lines 28 represent optional corrugations to increase strength.

Inhalators to be used for filtering the lnhaled alr against smoke or dust may be constructed according to Fig. 2 or 3 but are preferably filled with an absorbent material not provlded wlth a ceritral air canal, the filler arranged so loosely that the air may be inhaled through. Flg. 6 represents such a type of inhaler and filter, especially adapted for oral use and for connection to a cigar or cigarette whose smoke is to be filtered while being inhaled. Such a device can be termed a filtering cigarette tip. In Flg. 6, 29 represents the outer tubular imperforate shell, provided wlth a conical entrance 30 on one slde and a smaller exit 3l on the other end, the first optionally enforced by a straight, curved or rolled fiange 32, the latter preferably with bent-in edges, 33, keep- Ing the absorbent filter 34 from contact with the tongue when in use. Fig. 7 shows the same device as Fig; 6 distinguished however by an enforcing rlng 35, preferably made from wire, permitting a deeper draw of the thin material in manufacture, enforcing greatly the entrance of the device, which is to hold the eigarette by frictlon and to render lt possible more easily to pack such filter cups simply by arranging one within the other, in the Same axis, preferably held by friction from slight projections provided in the walls o1 the device or held by friction provided through lnterposed preior resinous plasticS.

-mlne;lts derixkatives or the llke, or such volatile: may be suppllecl separately to be applled before mmolst by addltlon 01 a -non-drylng liquid auch as glycerln', or by lmpregnating the filler Wlth olla or other chemlcals speclally sulted to neutralize and absorb nicotine and acrld. lngredlents 01 the smoke.

Withoutdeviating from the piinciple of my invention tubular shells as shown in Fig. 1 may also be usedadvantageously without absorbent flllers pseferably in form es shown in Flg. 8, sulted for being attached to mouthpleces and clgarettes for preventing contact o1 lips and mouth wlth paper and tobacco and consisting of a slightly coneshaped tubular cup 36 preferably with an enforclng flange 3'l.

Inhalers, and the like according to my Inventlon can easlly and cheaply be made by presslng a. pliable or preferably thermoplastlc and preferably transparent material between dies and successlvely applying glue and an absorbent filler. I preferto carry out my lnventlon, however, formlng the shells by heating a bandshaped thermoplastic material, preferably paper thln, while held under tension to avold shrinkage due to the heat, to transport the heated band quickly to cold dies wh1le still held under tension and to form the cups between the oold dies, still as parts of the strlp, which is subjected to additional operatlons such as punching holes, applying glue and applylng the absorbent filler until the finlshed inhaler or the llke is blanketed out. As thermoplastlc material to be used in such process I find practlcal any thermoplastic material prepared in sheets, bands or rods, and especially cellulose acetate and other celluloslc compounds A formed shell accordlng to my'invention generally weighs about 1 grain gm.), has a wall thlckness of about .005" and may or may not show pleated folds. Such paper thin shell is sufiicient means, however, to give form and shape to the absorbent fllter, to facilltate removal, to furnish holdand engagement, and to prevent, securely, contact between the highly irritating volatile drugs-or the filtered polsons and the sensitive mucous membrane.

In the first portion of this specification, I have Set forth the advantages of the lnvention over the known systems and vvhile I have disclosed. what I conslcler to be sonne preferred emloodiments of the invention in such manner that the same may be readily understood by those skilled in the a.rt it is manlfest that changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the splrit of the invention as expressed in the claims.

What I claim and desise to secure by Letters Patent ls:

l. An article of the charaeter described compfising a. substantially conical imperforate open ended tubular shell formed from thln celluloslc sheet material and being light, smooth, flexible and non-absorbent, the shell belng provided at its large end with an annlar flange extendlng outwardly away from the axisof the shell, a filling of absorbent materlal posltioned within the shell, the small end of the shell being provlded wlth an annular. lip extending inwardly into the bore of the shell and engaging the filllng to prevent the latter from reaching the small end of the shell, said o1'1tvvardly extending flange be- Ing eccentrically arranged relatively to the axis cf the shell,

2. An article 01 the character described comr prising a slibstantially conic-al imperforate open ended tubular shell formed from. thin celluloslc sheet material and. being light, smooth, flexible am]. non-absorbent, the shell being provided at 1ts large end with an annular flange arranged at. an obtuse angle to the axis cf the shell and extend- Ing outwardly away from said axis, and a filling of absorbent material positioned within the shell.

3. An article of the'character described comprising a. substantially conical imperforate open ended. tubular shell formed from thin cellulosic sheet material and being light, smooth, flexible und non-absorbent, the shell being provided a.t its large end with an annular fiange arranged ab an obtuse angle to the axis of the shell and extending outwardly away from said axis, and. a. filling of absorbent material positioned within the shell, said fiange being eccentrically arranged relative1y 120 the axi s of the shell and having an annular lip extending about the edge portion of the flange.

4. An article of the character described comprising a distorted conical imperforate open ended tubular shell cf thin cellulosic material and being light, smooth, flexible and nun-absorbent, the shell being provided at its large end with an annular flange extending outwardly away from the a.xis of the shell and arranged eccentrically relatively to said axis, a filling 013 absorbent material secured within the shell, the smal1 end of the shell being provlded with an annula.r lip extending inwardly into the bore of the shell and engaging the filling to prevent the 1 latter from reaching the small end of the shell.

5. An article of the characte r described comprising a. d:lstorted conica1 imper-forate open ended tulo ular shell of thin cellulsic material and being 1ight, smooth, flexible and non-absorbent, the shell belng provided a1; its large end. with an annular flange exl;ending outwardly away from the axis of the shell and projecting a.t one side of the shell to a gxeater extent than at the opposite side of the shell a. filling of absorbent material secured within the shell, the small end of the shell being provided with an annu.lar lip extending inwardly to the bore of the shell and engaging the filling to hold the la.tter awa.y from the small end of the shell.

CLAUSS BURKART STRAUCH. 

